Throughout its history, Shriners for Children has followed a three-pronged mission of medical care, teaching and research, Early on, the organization made a commitment to supporting basic scientific research, the very foundation of science that allows us to understand how and why things happen. As the health care system has grown and its areas of care have expanded, the research focus has also expanded. Today’s Shriners Hospital for Children are also centers for ongoing clinical research with staff actively engaged in finding ways to improve a child’s quality of life on a daily basis.

In a typical year, research efforts at Shriners Hospitals for Children will include more than 100 different research projects, more than 30 research fellowships and 20 shared research facilities.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is known worldwide for its commitment to and quality of research. In fact, many medical practices that are common in health care today were first discovered and practiced at Shriners Hospital for Children. As with any research, solutions to today’s medical problems are not discovered in a day, a week or even a year. This important work takes time. Shriners Hospitals for Children is committed to the sustained investment in clinically useful research so that fundamental knowledge can be acquired. Improving the quality of life for children with orthopaedic problems, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate.

Our close affiliations with colleges and universities across the country allow us to enhance the quality and scope of our research. Relationships like those with Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Oregon Health Sciences University, Temple University, the University of California and many others help meet our goals of improving clinical practice and pursuing fundamental scientific theories.